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Public Policy Archive

Boston Bar Association Endorses the Alimony Reform Act of 2011

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

In advance of a public hearing being convened by the Judiciary Committee on
May 18, 2011, the Boston Bar Association voiced its enthusiastic support for
S665, The Alimony Reform Act of 2011. This bill offers a groundbreaking proposal to
reform alimony practices in Massachusetts.

"The beauty of this bill is that it provides a clear framework for alimony,
with specific limits regarding amounts and duration, or how much and for how
long," said BBA President Donald Frederico. "This bill also preserves the
court's ability to consider the facts and circumstances of each case, while
providing parties with a degree of predictability and consistency in alimony
orders."

Sponsored by Senator Gale Candaras and Rep. John Fernandes, this bill
reflects 14 months of work by a special task force convened by Judiciary
Co-Chairs Cynthia Creem and Eugene O'Flaherty. The Family Law Section
co-chair, Kelly Leighton, served as the BBA's liaison to the Task Force.

Current alimony law has long been in need of reform. S665 will address two
key problems: Lack of consistency and predictability, and difficulty in setting
an end date for alimony orders.